SUMMARY CHART OF VERB TENSES

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

The world is round. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I study everyday.

I am studying right now.

You are reading a book now.
 SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE AND PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE TENSE
FORM

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE PROGRESSIVE TENSE

STATEME {I – You – We - They} work. I am working.
NT {You-We-They} are working.
{He - She – It } works.
{He-She-It} is working.
NEGATIV {I – You – We - They} do not I am not
E work. working.
{You-We-They} are not
{He - She – It } does not work. working.
He-She-It} is not
working.
QUESTIO Do {I – You – We - They} work? Am I working.?
N Are {You-We-They}
Does {He - She – It } work?
working?
Is {He-She-It} working?
USE

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

TENSE
We use simple present tense to We use present progressive tense
talk about repeated actions or to talk about something that is in
habits, and things which are progress at or around the moment
generally true. of speaking.
Example, Example,
Do you work every Saturday? Are you working now?
Water boils at 100 degree The water is boiling. Can you
centigrade. make the tea?
We use the present progressive for temporary situations and the
simple present tense for permanent situations. Compare:
She lives in Paris. She’s He’s living in a friend’s flat
lived there all her life. at the moment.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE

I studied Economics last night.

You read a book yesterday.
I was at home last night.
PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE

I was studying when they come.

You were reading a book when he knocked the door.
 SIMPLE PAST TENSE AND PAST PROGRESSIVE
TENSE
FORM

SIMPLE PAST TENSE PAST PROGRESSIVE

TENSE
STATEMEN {I - You – We - They} worked {You-We-They} was
T yesterday. working.
{He - She – It } worked yesterday. {I - He-She-It} were
working.
NEGATIVE {I – You – We - They} did not {You-We-They} was not
work yesterday working.

{He - She – It } did not work {I - He-She-It} were not

yesterday. working.
QUESTION Did {I – You – We - They} work
yesterday? Were {You-We-They}
working?
Did {He - She – It } work
USE
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
We use simple past tense to talk about actions and situations in
the past.
Example:
I played football yesterday.
He lived in London from 1970 to 1973. Then moved to
Manchester.
“Did you see Sarah yesterday?” “No, I didn’t.”
We didn’t go out last night. We stayed at home and
watched TV.
They went to Italy on holiday last summer.
Maria and Pierre Curie discovered radium.
PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE
We use past progressive to talk about something which was in
progress at a past time. The action or situation had started but it had
not finished at that time.
Example:
“What were you doing at 8 o’clock last night?
“ I was watching TV.”
I saw you last night. You were waiting for a bus.
She was working at 10 o’clock yesterday morning.

We often use the past progressive and past tense together in a

sentence. Notice what happen in sentences like these:

PAST PROGRESSIVE PAST TENSE

I was driving when suddenly a child ran across the
along road.
the telephone rang.
When Kate was watching TV when it started to rain.
We were walking in the park
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

I have already studied chapter one.

You have read the book.

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I have been studying for two hours.

You have been reading the book for an hour.
 PRESENT PERFECT TENSE AND PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE
FORM
We form present perfect tense with have / has + past participle
and present perfect progressive with have / has been + ….-ing.

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE PRESENT PERFECT

PROGRESSIVE
STATEME {I - You – We - They} have {I - You-We-They} have been
NT worked. working.

{He - She – It } has worked. {He-She-It} has been working.

NEGATIV {I – You – We - They} have not {I - You-We-They} have not been
E worked. working.

{He - She – It } has not worked. {He-She-It} has not been working.

QUESTIO Have {I – You – We - They} Have {I- You-We-They} been

N worked? working?
Has {He - She – It } worked? Has {He-She-It} been working?
USE
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE
1. We use present perfect tense 1. We use present perfect
when the action is finished. progressive when the action may
Example: be finished or not finished.
I have cleaned my car. Example:
She has done her homework. I have been cleaning my car.
She has been doing her homework.
2. We use present perfect
2. We use present perfect tense to progressive to talk about how long
talk about what has been achieved something has been in progress.
in a period of time. Example:
Example: I’ve been typing letter all morning.
I’ve typed four letters so far this How long have you been having
morning. driving lessons?
How many driving lessons have you
had?
 PRESENT PERFECT TENSE PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE
3. We use present perfect tense for 3. We use present perfect
situation which are more progressive for situations which
permanent (continuing for a longer are more temporary (continuing
time). for a short time).
Example: Example:
He has always lived there. He has been living there for just a
You have worked hard all your life. few weeks.
I have been working very hard
recently.
4. Sometimes there is only small difference in meaning between the two
forms.
Example:
I have been living / I have lived in this house for ten years.
How long has she been working / has she worked for the company?
 PAST PERFECT TENSE

I had already eaten when they arrived

You had read the book before you returned it to the library.

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I had been eating for two hours before my friends came.

You had been reading the book before you returned it.
 PAST PERFECT TENSE AND PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
FORM
We form past perfect tense with had+ past participle and past
perfect progressive with had been + ….-ing.

PAST PERFECT TENSE PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

STATEME {I - You – We - They} had {I - You-We-They} had been
NT worked. working.

{He - She – It } had worked. {He-She-It} had been working.

NEGATIV {I – You – We - They} had not {I - You-We-They} had not been
E worked. working.

{He - She – It } had not worked. {He-She-It} had not been working.

QUESTIO Had {I – You – We - They} Had {I- You-We-They} been

N worked? working?
Had {He - She – It } worked? Had {He-She-It} been working?
 USE
PAST PERFECT TENSE PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
1. We use past perfect tense to talk 1. We use past perfect progressive to
about something which had talk about something which had
happened before the past time been in progress up to the past time
we are thinking about. we are talking about.
Example: Example:
When I telephoned Sue, she had gone Sally had been waiting for an hour
out. when the bus arrived.
We arrived at the cinema at 8.00, but I ‘d been walking for an hour when it
the film had started at 7.30 suddenly started to rain.
2. The past perfect is the past form 2. The past perfect progressive is the
of the present perfect. past form of the present perfect
Example: progressive.
I haven’t eaten all day long, so I’m Example:
very hungry now. (present perfect) I’ve been working hard all day, so I’m
I hadn’t eaten all day yesterday, so I very tired now. (present perfect
was very hungry when I got home. progressive)
(past perfect)
SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

I will study tomorrow

You will read a book next week.

FUTURE PROGRESSIVE TENSE

I will be studying when you come.

You will be reading a book when he knocks the door.
 SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE AND FUTURE PROGRESSIVE TENSE
FORM
We form simple future tense with will + infinitive without to or be
going to + infinitive.
We form future progressive tense with will be + …..-ing.
SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE FUTURE PROGRESSIVE
TENSE
STAT I He I He
EME You She + will / be going to work You She + will be
NT We It working
They (be = am/ is/are) We It
They
NEG I He I He
ATIV You She + will not / be not going to You She + will not be
E work working
We It We It
They (be = am/ is/ are) They
QUES Will I He I He
TION / + You She + going to work? Will + You She + be
Be We It working?
USE
SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE : WILL VERSUS BE GOING TO
1.To express a PREDICTION –either WILL or BE GOING TO is used;
According to the weather report, it will be cloudy tomorrow.
According to the weather report, it is going to be cloudy
tomorrow.
2. To express a PRIOR PLAN – only BE GOING TO is used;
I have already bought the paint. I am going to paint my
bedroom tomorrow.
Bob is tired of taking the bus to work. He is going to buy a
car.
3. To express WILLINGNESS – only WILL is used;
The phone’s ringing. I will get it.
If you don’t understand the problem, ask your teacher about
it. She will help you.
USE
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE TENSE
1.We use future progressive tense to talk about something which
will be in progress at a time in the future.
Example:
I will be having dinner at 7.00.
Don’t phone me at 8.00. I will be doing my homework at that
time.
This time tomorrow we’ll be flying to Greece on our holiday.
2. We also use future progressive tense to talk about things in the
future which are already planned, or which are part of a regular
routine.
Example:
I will be going into town later on. Do you want me to get
you anything from the shops?
Would you like me to give Peter a message for you? I will be
coming to Peter’s office tomorrow anyway.
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

I will already have eaten when they arrive.

You will have read the book before you return it to the library.
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
FORM
We form future progressive tense with will have + past participle.

FUTURE PROGRESSIVE TENSE

STATEMENT {I, You, We, They, He, She, It} + will have +
past participle
NEGATIVE {I, You, We, They, He, She, It} + will not have +
past participle
QUESTION Will + {I, You, We, They, He, She, It} + have +
past participle
USE
We use future perfect tense to talk about something that will be
completed by a certain time in the future.
Example:
I will have finished dinner at 8.00.
I will have gone to bed at 11. Can you phone me earlier?
She will have worked here for a year next September.